58 PLANNER PERSPECTIVE Flying the flag for Italy Davide Truscello of Costa Cruises explains to Rebecca Gibson how the brand is evolving its itineraries to deliver innovative and immersive destination experiences Costa Cruises’ first ship Anna C successfully completed its maiden voyage from the company’s headquarters in Genoa, Italy, to Buenos Aires, Argentina, in March 1948. Just over 76 years later, the brand remains the only Italian-flagged cruise line in the world and now operates nine ships and visits almost 200 ports across five continents. Wherever in the world it is sailing, Costa’s primary aim is the same. “Our goal is to make our guests happy by offering unique experiences, both onboard our vessels and onshore in the destinations we visit,” says Davide Truscello, the brand’s pricing, itinerary and revenue planning director. To achieve this aim, Costa evaluates multiple factors to determine whether a port or destination is suitable for its itineraries. “Safety and security are always the first elements we focus on,” says Truscello. “We also consider port accessibility, the nautical feasibility of our preferred routes and regulatory compliance. We work with our decarbonisation department to ensure our route planning processes align with company’s environmental targets too.” For example, if possible, Costa chooses ports where its ships can connect to shore power to reduce emissions. However, this is challenging because relatively few ports have the “ Our goal is to make our guests happy by offering unique experiences” Costa has designed several activities specifically for couples, including a food markets tour in Palermo
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